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S I N C E 19 12
DM TROJAN
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
TUESDAY
■ ----------♦----------
February 12, 2002
Of interest...
The American Ballet Theatre’s production of‘Swan Lake'hits southland in style and grace / 7
News Digest 2 Calendar 2 Opinions 4 Lifestyle 7 The Buzz 7 Classifieds 12 Crossword 13 Sports 16
vol. CVL, no. 24 www.dailytroJan.com
National
college
housing
increases
First-year Phenom
Forward Rachel Woodward makes impact for Women of Troy, averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in little more than 20 minutes of action /16
Admission: But as other schools build additional residences, USC aims to decrease overall enrollment
By STEVEN JONES
Staff Writer
While many universities are expanding housing and enrollment, USC is moving in the opposite direction, Jjocusing on decreasing enrollment and housing the students it already has.
Colleges from Los Angeles to Boston are increasing the amount of on-campus housing, regardless' of enrollment trends, which are on a rise nationwide.
The American Council for Education anticipates 300,000 more students will be enrolled in colleges next fall, said Paul Hassen, assistant director of public affairs.
National enrollment has risen for about three years and is expected to do so until the year 2010, Hassen said.
Part of this increase is because of the rising number of high school graduates, and part is because of greater affordability of higher education because of endowments and financial aid programs such as the Pell Grant, a federally-funded program for underprivileged students, Hassen added.
USC’s Office of Admissions is purposely decreasing the number of students it accepts, said Laurel Baker Tew, director of admissions. The plans for decreased enrollment from the Office of the Provost, who thinks USC's campus has a certain “carrying capacity” of students that it needs in order to function effectively.
The current undergraduate population at USC is in the 15,000-range,
I see Enrollment, page 13 I
High or low. Han Na Lee, an undeclared freshman; Rebecca Myung, a freshman majoring in pre-pharmacy; and Kathy Lee, a freshman majoring in pre-pharmacy, check their Returning Resident Renewal lottery numbers in the New Residential College Customer Service Center Monday.
Extra 200 applicants taken
Housing: Nearly 70 percent ofR3 participants expected to receive initial contracts
By ART PRIROMPRINTR
Residential Life Writer
Applications to Housings Returning Resident Renewal program increased by about 200 this year, but Housing Administration does not expect to initially offer space to all applicants, officials said.
About -4,400 applications were submitted for the R3 process this year. Housing is expecting to offer space to slightly less than 3,000 of those applicants, said Paula Salinas, Housing Administrations assistant director of contracts and marketing,
who is in charge of the R3 process.
In the past, housing eventually offered a contract to every applicant who wants a space, officials said.
"Every year we have been able to get through the entire waiting list {after R3),” said Jeff Urdahl, director of Housing Administration.
Last year, Housing did not offer a space to everyone on the waiting list until the end of July, but all applicants eventually offered a contract, Urdahl said.
Phase 4 applicants will choose their housing during a three-day period starting March 5 and will receive appointment times based on their lottery numbers. Lottery numbers are numbered 1,000 to 7,000, with lower numbers receiving the earliest appointment times.
“On the second day, for the past two years, we’ve run out of space at about noon,” Salinas said.
After space fills up, students who do not receive spaces will be allowed to enter their names on a waiting list, where they will be considered in the order of their already-assigned lottery numbers.
In the past years, Housing has been able to offer some form of university housing to everyone who enters the waiting list, although the offer may not necessarily be the resident’s first choice, Urdahl said.
Spaces for those on the waiting list often open up when other students who receive housing choose not to keep their contracts, he said.
At least 100 to 200 spaces will open up when candidates for the res-
ident adviser program find out whether they will be RAs next year, Salinas said.
Many students also apply to R3 as a backup, in case their plans for off-campus housing fall through, Salinas said.
“We wish they wouldn’t (use R3 as a backup) but it does happen,” Urdahl said.
Cancellation of housing contracts for this and for other varying reasons normally frees up about 100 spaces, Urdahl said.
R3 is the four-phase process that residents of university housing must go through to return to the housing system for the next academic year.
Phase 1 is for students wishing to either return to freshman-desig-I see Housing, page 13 I
Culture’s traditions found in Afrocentric study
'African-Americans are very spiritual, and sometimes that spiritual-ness, is different than that of other groups"
CORLISS
BENNETT
director
CBCSA
By ELIZABETH BROTHERTON
Contributing Writer
Hip-hop and the Bible — they are not two words expected to be used together, but the goal of a new campus group is to do just that.
A new Afrocentric Bible study was formed last month to reach out to black Christians on campus. The goal of the group is to provide a more familiar place for black Christian students to gather and study the Bible as well as educate those who might not be familiar with its teachings.
“There really aren’t many Christian fellowships on campus that
RELIGION & ETHICS
-----♦------
are specifically rooted in black culture and hip-hop culture, with the exception of the (Saved by Grace) Gospel Choir, and therefore attendance to these fellowships by African-American students is low,” said Perrie Jones Jr., an undeclared freshman, who helped organize the Bible study.
The new Bible study was formed to provide an atmosphere where black students will feel comfortable.
“African-Americans are very spiritual, and sometimes that spiritualness is different than that of other groups," said Corliss Bennett, director of the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs. “The students wanted a place where they would feel comfortable, a kind of home away from home."
Because the group was unable to make the deadline to become an official campus organization this semester, it is being sponsored by the Saved by Grace Gospel Choir.
Held every other Wednesday in
the University Religious Center, meetings feature a blend of gospel and hip-hop music, food, discussion and guest speakers from nearby churches. Ben Stevens, who sponsors Higher Ministry, a group for college students at West Angeles Church of God and Christ, serves as a regular speaker.
About 10 to 12 members attend the meetings, and two have been held so far this semester.
“Religion often intersects with ethnicity and so particular groups have particular needs,” said Rabbi Susan Laemmle, dean of Religious Life. “However, it is important that all groups reach out to everyone.”
I see Religion, page 2 I
Bible
Basics
Sponsored by the Saved by Grace Gospel Choir, the study group uses black culture,
' including hip-hop music and food, to discuss teachings of the Bible.

S I N C E 19 12
DM TROJAN
Student newspaper of the University of Southern California
TUESDAY
■ ----------♦----------
February 12, 2002
Of interest...
The American Ballet Theatre’s production of‘Swan Lake'hits southland in style and grace / 7
News Digest 2 Calendar 2 Opinions 4 Lifestyle 7 The Buzz 7 Classifieds 12 Crossword 13 Sports 16
vol. CVL, no. 24 www.dailytroJan.com
National
college
housing
increases
First-year Phenom
Forward Rachel Woodward makes impact for Women of Troy, averaging 11.4 points and 5.1 rebounds in little more than 20 minutes of action /16
Admission: But as other schools build additional residences, USC aims to decrease overall enrollment
By STEVEN JONES
Staff Writer
While many universities are expanding housing and enrollment, USC is moving in the opposite direction, Jjocusing on decreasing enrollment and housing the students it already has.
Colleges from Los Angeles to Boston are increasing the amount of on-campus housing, regardless' of enrollment trends, which are on a rise nationwide.
The American Council for Education anticipates 300,000 more students will be enrolled in colleges next fall, said Paul Hassen, assistant director of public affairs.
National enrollment has risen for about three years and is expected to do so until the year 2010, Hassen said.
Part of this increase is because of the rising number of high school graduates, and part is because of greater affordability of higher education because of endowments and financial aid programs such as the Pell Grant, a federally-funded program for underprivileged students, Hassen added.
USC’s Office of Admissions is purposely decreasing the number of students it accepts, said Laurel Baker Tew, director of admissions. The plans for decreased enrollment from the Office of the Provost, who thinks USC's campus has a certain “carrying capacity” of students that it needs in order to function effectively.
The current undergraduate population at USC is in the 15,000-range,
I see Enrollment, page 13 I
High or low. Han Na Lee, an undeclared freshman; Rebecca Myung, a freshman majoring in pre-pharmacy; and Kathy Lee, a freshman majoring in pre-pharmacy, check their Returning Resident Renewal lottery numbers in the New Residential College Customer Service Center Monday.
Extra 200 applicants taken
Housing: Nearly 70 percent ofR3 participants expected to receive initial contracts
By ART PRIROMPRINTR
Residential Life Writer
Applications to Housings Returning Resident Renewal program increased by about 200 this year, but Housing Administration does not expect to initially offer space to all applicants, officials said.
About -4,400 applications were submitted for the R3 process this year. Housing is expecting to offer space to slightly less than 3,000 of those applicants, said Paula Salinas, Housing Administrations assistant director of contracts and marketing,
who is in charge of the R3 process.
In the past, housing eventually offered a contract to every applicant who wants a space, officials said.
"Every year we have been able to get through the entire waiting list {after R3),” said Jeff Urdahl, director of Housing Administration.
Last year, Housing did not offer a space to everyone on the waiting list until the end of July, but all applicants eventually offered a contract, Urdahl said.
Phase 4 applicants will choose their housing during a three-day period starting March 5 and will receive appointment times based on their lottery numbers. Lottery numbers are numbered 1,000 to 7,000, with lower numbers receiving the earliest appointment times.
“On the second day, for the past two years, we’ve run out of space at about noon,” Salinas said.
After space fills up, students who do not receive spaces will be allowed to enter their names on a waiting list, where they will be considered in the order of their already-assigned lottery numbers.
In the past years, Housing has been able to offer some form of university housing to everyone who enters the waiting list, although the offer may not necessarily be the resident’s first choice, Urdahl said.
Spaces for those on the waiting list often open up when other students who receive housing choose not to keep their contracts, he said.
At least 100 to 200 spaces will open up when candidates for the res-
ident adviser program find out whether they will be RAs next year, Salinas said.
Many students also apply to R3 as a backup, in case their plans for off-campus housing fall through, Salinas said.
“We wish they wouldn’t (use R3 as a backup) but it does happen,” Urdahl said.
Cancellation of housing contracts for this and for other varying reasons normally frees up about 100 spaces, Urdahl said.
R3 is the four-phase process that residents of university housing must go through to return to the housing system for the next academic year.
Phase 1 is for students wishing to either return to freshman-desig-I see Housing, page 13 I
Culture’s traditions found in Afrocentric study
'African-Americans are very spiritual, and sometimes that spiritual-ness, is different than that of other groups"
CORLISS
BENNETT
director
CBCSA
By ELIZABETH BROTHERTON
Contributing Writer
Hip-hop and the Bible — they are not two words expected to be used together, but the goal of a new campus group is to do just that.
A new Afrocentric Bible study was formed last month to reach out to black Christians on campus. The goal of the group is to provide a more familiar place for black Christian students to gather and study the Bible as well as educate those who might not be familiar with its teachings.
“There really aren’t many Christian fellowships on campus that
RELIGION & ETHICS
-----♦------
are specifically rooted in black culture and hip-hop culture, with the exception of the (Saved by Grace) Gospel Choir, and therefore attendance to these fellowships by African-American students is low,” said Perrie Jones Jr., an undeclared freshman, who helped organize the Bible study.
The new Bible study was formed to provide an atmosphere where black students will feel comfortable.
“African-Americans are very spiritual, and sometimes that spiritualness is different than that of other groups," said Corliss Bennett, director of the Center for Black Cultural and Student Affairs. “The students wanted a place where they would feel comfortable, a kind of home away from home."
Because the group was unable to make the deadline to become an official campus organization this semester, it is being sponsored by the Saved by Grace Gospel Choir.
Held every other Wednesday in
the University Religious Center, meetings feature a blend of gospel and hip-hop music, food, discussion and guest speakers from nearby churches. Ben Stevens, who sponsors Higher Ministry, a group for college students at West Angeles Church of God and Christ, serves as a regular speaker.
About 10 to 12 members attend the meetings, and two have been held so far this semester.
“Religion often intersects with ethnicity and so particular groups have particular needs,” said Rabbi Susan Laemmle, dean of Religious Life. “However, it is important that all groups reach out to everyone.”
I see Religion, page 2 I
Bible
Basics
Sponsored by the Saved by Grace Gospel Choir, the study group uses black culture,
' including hip-hop music and food, to discuss teachings of the Bible.